Ham press and retainer.



EJ111111, H. J. ADBNAUER & F. WOLF.

' HAM PRESS AND RETAINER.

APPLICATION-FILED JUNE 7, 1913.

Patentd June 23, 1911 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

P, KLINK, H. J. ADENAUER & P. WOLF.

HAM PRESS AND RETAINER.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7,1913.

I Patented June 23, 1914,

To till cvizom it may concern:

Be ll} known that-we, Finn) KLINK, H111.

gm Fir a m EREII BLINK, HUBER! J. ADE'NAUE-R, AN

HAM rnnss n'i'n nnrnrnnn. I

i ronies.-

nnnr J. AnnNAUnn, and FRANK Wow, citi- Zens of the United States,- res1ding in the .city and county of Denver and State of v Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ham Presses and Retainers; and we do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will "enable others skilled in the art to which it eppertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked there-- on, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in devices for pressing and retaining boneless hams during the boiling operation of the,

latter. In preparing the ham foruse with a device of this character, the bone and fatty portion are first removed after which the. ham is alaccd in a flexible bag or seek prev1-' ous to t e performance of the boiling operatlon. After the bone is removed from the ham, the remaining portionis necessarily in.

a somewhat loose anddisorganized condition and in order tohnaintain the meat in proper shape during the boiling operation, it is necessary "thatit shall be first closely pressed and then retained in the pressed. condition during the entire boiling process; and the object of our present invention is to ac coinplish this pressing and retaining func-' tion in a satisfactory and convenient manner and to this end the device, generally specie ing consists of two approximately twin members hinged together, each having the generallshape of an elongated half-oval so that when the two parts are brought together in the ham-pressing and retaining re lation", they constitutes. receptacle whereby the ham is incloscd but insuch a manner that the water in which it is placed for boiling purposes has comparatively free access thereto and in order to permit such access the device is of skeleton construction, each member of the hinged device being provided with a number of longitudinally-disposed members connected by outwardly bent ribs.

As illustrated in. the drawingach of the twin members consists of a relatively heavy wireybent in theform of an elongated oval n renn n were, or L Specification of Letters latent.

ture being UOTlZn-ECtGCi by outwardlycur' e through which the wire 'niernbers separated, a ham being she toward the left.

' of this element.

Application filed June 7,7313. Serial No. 1772,8022

or an ellipse the enti' wire lying in en epproxlmately horizontal plane. the longn tudinal members of the elliptical wire str a v (l wire ribs, whose opposite extremities ere termed into'eyes, through which the paralle portions of the elliptical wire member pose.

intermediate the parallel wire members is an auxiliary (preferably fiat) metal incinher, having Uehaped guides or staplesribs pass, thus producing a substantial and rigid structere.

The two members may of course be hing; e-dly connected'in any suitable manner. Up posits the hinges a ratchet and lover con struction is provided for clamping the two members tightly upon the ham for pressing and retaining purposes this lever and, ratchet-feature havinc" a considerable range, of adjustment whereby the device is adapted for use witn hams that vary consider-e015 in size.

Having briefly cutiii ed our improved construction, we will, pror ed to describe same in detail, reference being made to the coinpanying drawing, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

in this lrawing-l :11'3 i. a top plan View of the complete device shown in position for retaining the harm, the device how ever being empty. Fig. 2 is a crcss-secticn taken on the line 2-42 i, but she ring ham place. 3 is top plan view of the device shown opener with the twin in place in one of the members. Fig. i is a fragmentary sectional. view, the section be ingtaken en the line i-, 1., looking The same reference characters indicate the same parts in'nil' the views.

Let the numeral 5' designete the main wire element of each skeleton member of the structure, the said element being of elliptical shape and having opposite parallel. side perts 6, and end parts 8, which are approximately semi-circular inshepe and constituting the opposite ends o l the ellipse the said. ends extending beyond the parallel *3 l The parallel 6 of each element 5 "are connected hy-outwardly bowed ribs 7., preferably composed of tively wire though of ccnsiderebly less size than that of which the element 5 is formed. The opposite extremities of each rib '7 are formed into eyes 8, through which the parts 6 pass. These ribs are suitably spaced, consideration being given to the necessity for forming a rigid substantial device and at the same time permitting free access of the boiling water to the contents of the structure when in use. Approximately at the opposite extremities of the parallel parts 6 of each element 5, are located two outwardlybowed metalbands 9 which extend somewhat beyond the location of the ribs, as best illustrated in Fig. 2. The extremities of these bands are connected with the wire parts 6 between the eyes 8 that the bands extend outwardly beyond the ribs. Two adjacent extremities of the bands 9 of each twin member "of the device are connected by a pair of hinges 10, co1n posed of two parts 12, riveted to the respective bands, as shown at 13, and connected by a hinge-pin at. As this hingepin has its axis considerably beyond the axes of the adjacent wire parts 6, when the two twin members are opened, asillustrated in Fig. 3, the adjacent wire parts 6 of the two members are considerably separated, the space being designated by the numeral 14. In order to prevent the contents of the device from belng pressed outwardly between the adjacent parts 6 of the twin members at the beginning of the pressing operation and before the two parts 6 are brought into closer proximity, as is the case when the two members are closed in operative rela tion, these parts 6 are connected by links 15,

a sufficient number being used to perform the aforesaid function. 7

As illustrated in the drawing, one of the semi-circular wire parts 3 of each element 5 is provided with av rib 16, which connects the opposite portions of the part 3, the extrernities of the ribs being formed in eyes 1.7 in substantially the same manner as the eyes 8 of the main ribs.

Intermediate, the parallel parts 6 of each element 5, but extending outwardly beyond the same and occupying a position coincident with the maximum distance which the bowed portions of the ribs occupy beyond the element 5, is a flat, metal bar or strap 18, which is provided with staples 19, whose extremities are riveted to the outside of the bar, as shown at 19, while the body portions of the staples extend inwardly and form "eyes through which the ribs 7 and 16 pass. These bars 8 give additional strength and rigidity to the structure. Theiropposite extremities are further secured by means 013,,

- rivets 20, which connect the bars with the bands 9. In order to' fill in the space between the bands 9 and the bar 18; in case the latter is not of suflicient thickness to parts 3 of the element. 5 by means of howshaped end ribs 21, which occupy planes at right angles to the planes of the ribs 7. The

inner extremity of each rib 21 is formed into a hook 22, which is connected with the adjacent end of the bar 18, whim the opposite extremity of theribis formed into an eye I 23, through'which the part 7 passes.

' The extremities 6f the bands 9'opp0site those where the hinges 10 are located, on one of the twin members of the structure, are

equipped with plates 24, wl ich are secured.

to the band 9 by means of rivets 25 or other suitable fastening devices, The free tremitie's of these plates are formed into hooks 26; while the corresponding extremities of the bands 9 of the other twin mem- Y r her are each equipped with a'keeper 27, the body portion of which'is applied to the in nor surface of the bands 9 and provided with a pair of lugs 28, which pass through an opening formed in the band and extend exteriorly beyond the same, the said lugs being separated to receive the extr mity 29 of a lever arm 30, the said extremity 9 being pivotally connected with the lug by a pin or rivet 31. Intermediate the pivoted end of the lever arm 30 and the tree extremity of the latter, one extremity ot a link '32 is pivotally connected, as shown at 33, while the opposite extremity ofthe 2 said link is pivotally connected, as shown at 34, with one endof'what we ill term a ratchet-bar 35,.which is eoj-i. .-ped with a number of pins 36, which pass through the bar and extend on opposite sides thereof, whereby they are adapted to engage the hook 26 of the plate 24 of the opposite'twin' are 37 and the travel of the link 32, and cod sequently of the ratchet-bar 35, will'be equal to the distance between the extremities of theme 37 or between the points A and B (see Fig. 4);

Attention is called to the fact that the link 32 is composed of two parts 38, arranged on opposite sides of the lever arm 30, their ing bent outwardly to form' a sufficient arts intermediate, the pivots 33 and 34 V and retainei is v to" which they 1 companion twin p 7 he ratchet bars 35 are then islitirlln between the parts of the bifurcated, oo

the necessary 1, position, this platecloses the space which otherwise wouldenistibetween the adjacent -b wire parts 6 of the two elements 5 of the a in men't be readily same-device 1s v:Figx3) *E- fllcmember in which placing one edge of the plate between the am and the spondingelement 5. Then when the two of closing th spaice for the entrance of thelugs 28, which must pass through the link when thelever arms are at their outward limit of move- (see Figs. 1, 2 and 4).

From the foregoing description, the use and operation" of our improved device will understood. -"-Assuming that the ham is properly prepared, as heretofore outlined, and placedwithin'a sack 39 of some suitable fiexible'and fibrous material, the

normally open extremityof the sack being.

closed by tying the same, as .shown at 41,0r in anyot en suitable manner, the ham-press fir t placed in the open position, (see Fig, with the ratchet bars ex- ,tending outwardly beyond the twin member belong, in order that the cavity of the said member may be unobstructed. T e ham thus inclosed is then laid into one of thetwin members as the one with which the. ratchet bars are equipped, after which the other member is brought into the closed position, whereby the portion of the ham which extends beyond the twin part into which it is first placed, shall enter the member of the structure.

placed in pos 26., so that one of the pins 36 of each ratchet bar shall engage one of the hooks 26, thearrangcment being such as to allow com ression of the ham while the lever arm is moving from the open to the lever arm is then moved to cause the pivot pin 38 to travel from the point',A. to the point B in the arc see gig-. 4), in which event the lever outwardly to cause the pin 33 to travel from the point A to the point B,

thus bringing the two adjacent edges of the twin members closer together by the distance between the said two joints, thus giving an important range of adjustment for am-pressing purposes. As there are a number of ins 36,'- it is evident that the adapted for use with different slzed hams within a considerable range.

Afte .-'the ham is placed in the one member of the open structure (as illustrated in an auxiliary plate 40 is inserted in the ham is placed,- by

outer part 6 of the corremcmbers arebrought into the ham-pressing twin members of the structure.

order to give additional leverage for ham-pressing purposes during the operation e two members 5, we may lengthen the lever arm 30 by an extension piece as, which ieiprerided with a socket 4 3 to receive the portion oithe lever arm which fits closely therein. This extension piece is readily detachable and is' removed as soon as the lever arm reaches its closing limit of movement. It should be stated that when the lever arm is in the last-named position the two members 5 are locked in the closed position.

1. A ham-press andretainer, comprising two approximately twin concave skeleton members hingedly connected for the purpose set forth. I

2. A press and retainer com concave skeleton members hinge 1y connected, the two members'w-hen brought together in cooperative relation being adapted to re ccive a ham or similar article for, the purpose set forth.

3. A press and retainer, comprising two approximately twin concave skeleton mem-. bers hingedly connected, and means applied to the members opposite the hinges for comrising two' pressing the contained article.

bers hingedly' connected and each of a wire part of elliptical shape mately, and a number of ribs connected with the said part and bent to give the two members when brought together in coiiperative .relation the desired concavity.

5. A ham retainer, comprising two hinged members, each consisting of a wire part of elliptical shape approximately and ribs connected with each wire part and bent outwardly to form a concave structure when brought together for ham-retaining purposes and suitable means applied to the said members opposite their hinges for connecting the members inoperative relation for the purposeset forth.

6. The combination composed approxito give the part the desired concavity, the two members being connected by hinges having their axes located exteriorly beyond the members when the latter are brought together in cooperative relation, and links connecting the two elliptical wire parts on the hinged side of the structure, forthe purpose set forth.

v7. A ham retainer comprising two members, each composed of a wire part of elliptical shape approximately and equipped with ribs suitably spaced and bent outwardly to form a concave skeleton structure, each part eing provided with metal bands curved to conform approximately to the curvature of the ribs and arranged beyond the ribs, hinges applied to the said bands for connecting the two members lation and means applied to the members opposite the hinges for connecting the latter in cooperative relation for ham-retaining purposes, substantially as described.

in coiiperative re-.

4. A ham retainer, comprising two mem- T 1,101,1es

8. The combination of two approximately In testimony whereof we afiix our signa-l twin concave skeleton members hingedly tures in presence of two witnesses.

connected and equipped with means located FRED KLINK. opposite the hinges for connecting the two HUBERT J. ADENAUER. 5 members in cooperative relation, and a 010- FRANK WOLF.

sure plate applied to the two members on Witnesses: the side opposite the hinges, substantially as A. J. OBRIEN,

described. I i

C. M; WiiUDBY. I 

